The role of Texas A&M University to alleviate the threats to the world’s coffee supply

Presented by Leonardo Lombardini, Director, Center for Coffee Research and Education, Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, Texas A&M University (website)

Abstract: Directly involving 25 million producers and providing the main source of income for an estimated 100 million people worldwide, coffee is one of the world’s most culturally and economically important agricultural commodities and, with 2.25 billion cups consumed every day, it is one of the world’s most popular beverages. It is estimated that a 10% increase on current production will be needed by 2020, and production levels must double to meet demand by 2050. Yet, despite coffee’s tremendous significance, the industry is facing serious obstacles. The existing scarcity in coffee research, from cultivation to cup quality, is astounding. Additionally, in the past few years, coffee leaf rust, a disease caused by the fungus Hemileia vastatrix, has severely affected roughly half a million hectares in Central America alone, caused an estimated $548 million in lost revenue to coffee growers, and contributed to the loss of roughly 441,000 jobs, contributing to surges in immigration to the United States. Coffee related pests, diseases, climate change issues, narrow genetic diversity, conflict and poverty are just a few issues badly in need of research and development; each of these presents an opportunity for TAMU students and faculty to exercise world-class research and leadership skills to make a positive impact, advancing Texas A&M’s visibility as a fearless advocate for quality, science and the health around the world. The presentation will describe the efforts engaged by the newly established Center for Coffee Research and Education at Texas A&M to give coffee the attention it deserves.

March 1

Savannas and Woodlands are the New Rangelands: Implications, Challenges, and Opportunities

Abstract: An under appreciated but never the less enormous global change phenomena that has been ongoing for over 100 years is the replacement of grasslands and open savannas with woodlands. This process—sometimes described as woody plant encroachment—has important implications in terms of myriad ecosystem services, including biodiversity, from these landscapes. Other changes include alteration of biogeochemical cycles, the water and energy cycle, and grazing potential. The increase in trees and shrubs in semiarid and subhumid climates have occurred in Africa, Australia, Asia and the United States. One of the regions most transformed by this process is the Southern Great Plains. Rangelands in Texas, once mostly grasslands are now savannas and woodlands and should be managed accordingly. A key to enlightened management of these transformed landscapes is understanding not only the ecology of woody plant encroachment but also the social dynamics associated with it. In this presentation I will describe our NSF project on treating woody plant encroachment as a coupled-human-natural system.

Abstract: Desert and gopher tortoises (Gopherus) are the sole survivors of a diverse tortoise fauna from the Cenozoic of North America, but now face multiple anthropogenic threats including habitat destruction and climate warming. Here I present new eco-physiological demographic models that identify populations at risk from simultaneous threats and predict range shifts under warming climates. These models successfully recover distributions of extant Gopherus. Models forecast that early Eocene-level warming by ~2070-2080 may drive many Gopherus extinct and that solar farms, which may limit warming globally, may paradoxically accelerate extinctions locally. Nevertheless, warming may also desertify many current agricultural areas and thus create suitable habitat – often where tortoise ancestors weathered previous hothouse episodes – into which tortoises can be translocated.

Abstract: Rural landscapes in close proximity to protected lands are facing increasing development pressure for residential homes. This type of exurban, or low-density, development, occurring away from the urban core and facilitated by various forms of transportation and communication, fragments wildlife habitat and valued open space. Landowners, land-use agencies, real estate agents, developers, consultants and local ngos are among the groups of people who make decisions about how land is used, what configuration development takes, and how that development fits within a broader landscape plan. However, the process of engaging these groups at the right time, with the appropriate approach and a proper message can be a challenging prospect for practitioners who face the daunting task of reducing habitat fragmentation from residential development. Dr. Heidi Kretser of the Wildlife Conservation Society will share nearly two decades of experience working on the impacts of exurban development on wildlife, translating these findings into recommended solutions, and engaging local communities that can implement conservation actions.

April 12

Landscapes of social and ecological change in the U.S. West: Communities, institutions, and authority in environmental governance

Presented by Dr. Jesse Abrams, Ecosystem Workforce Program, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, University of Oregon

Abstract: The U.S. West is home to the majority of the nation’s federally owned lands, many of its most iconic landscapes, and numerous conflicts regarding conservation, species protection, and rural economic development. Political and ecological changes have radically transformed the federal government-centered governance models of the twentieth century and ushered in an era of experimentation in which communities, counties, states, and nongovernmental organizations play enhanced roles in both planning and implementation of resource management on federal lands. These changes represent opportunities for greater community involvement in environmental management while also providing openings for renewed claims of property and authority in the context of complex tenure scenarios. In this talk I will give an overview of the changing models of environmental governance on public lands and provide examples from across the West of both the successes and the tensions associated with these new models, focusing on issues related to wildfire and other landscape-scale disturbances.

Abstract: Climate change, extinction, and other threats facing our ecosystems provide new challenges to conversation. Fortunately, we have a number of examples in the recent fossil record to draw upon as analogs. Understanding how yesterday’s biodiversity responded to these “natural experiments” can help prepare us for the next century. In this talk, I’ll share several examples, asking: What determines extinction risk due to climate change? What can ice age extinctions tell us about the impacts of extinction on the survivors? 3) Can trees keep pace with climate change? These lessons from the past can help inform cutting edge—but often controversial—conservation strategies, from managed relocation of species to de-extinction and rewilding.